Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a multifocal demyelinating disease of the human central nervous system (CNS) associated with inflammation. Increased intra-blood-brain barrier (intra-BBB) IgG synthesis is a hallmark of MS (Tourtelotte, W. W., J Neurol Sci 10: 279–304, 1970; Link, H. and Tibbling, G., Scand J Clin Lab Invest 37: 397–401, 1977; Tourtelotte, W. W. and Ma, B., Neurology 28: 76–83, 1978; Walsh, J. M. and Tourtelotte, W. W., In: Hallpike, J. F., Adams, C. W. M. and Tourtelotte, W. W., eds. Multiple sclerosis. Baltimore. Williams & Wilkins, 1982: 275–358; and Warren, K. G., and Catz, I. Ann Neurol 17: 475–480, 1985).
IgG synthesis within the BBB is generally elevated in clinically definite MS patients (Schumacher, G. A., Beebe, G., Kibler R. E., et al., Ann NY Acad Sci 15:266–272, 1965) with active or inactive disease. The specificity of the majority of the CNS IgG is unknown. While a small proportion has antiviral activity or reacts against brain antigens, nucleic acids, erythrocytes or smooth muscle antigens, the nonspecific portion may represent polyclonal activation of B-cells (Tourtelotte, W. W., and Ma, B., Neurology 28:76–83, 1978). During the last decade there has been considerable interest in the study of antibodies to specific myelin proteins.
Following the detection of circulating immune complexes containing myelin basic protein (MBP) as their antigenic component (Dasgupta, M. K., Catz, I, Warren, K. G. et al., Can J Neurol Sci 10:239–243, 1983), increased titers of antibodies to MBP (anti-MBP) were observed in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with active forms of MS (Warren, K. G. and Catz, I., Ann Neurol 209:20–25, 1986). Clinically, MS is characterized by phases of disease activity such as acute relapses or chronic progression, and by phases of clinical remission. Active MS is associated with increased levels of intrathecally produced anti-MBP (Warren, K. G. and Catz, I., Ann Neurol 209:20–25, 1986; and Catz, I. and Warren, K. G., Can J Neurol Sci 13:21–24, 1986). These antibodies are found predominantly in free (F) form during acute relapses and predominantly in bound (B) form when the disease is insidiously progressive (Warren, K. G. and Catz, I., Ann Neurol 209:20–25, 1986). During acute relapses, CSF anti-MBP titers correlated with disease activity (Warren, K. G. and Catz, I., Ann Neurol 21:183–187, 1987). Anti-MBP levels were also increased in patients with first attacks of optic neuritis and in most patients experiencing first attacks of MS (Warren, K. G., Catz, I., and Bauer, C., Ann Neurol 23:297–299, 1988; Warren, K. G. and Catz, I., J Neurol Sci 91:143–151, 1989).
Longitudinal kinetic studies of CSF anti-MBP levels in patients who enter the recovery phase subsequent to an acute relapse, demonstrated a gradual decline in F anti-MBP titers commensurate with a progressive rise in B fractions (Warren, K. G. and Catz, I., J Neurol Sci 91:143–151, 1989; Warren, K. G. and Catz, I., J Neurol Sci 88:185–194, 1988). In the remission phase, CSF anti-MBP may become undetectable suggesting an anti-MBP neutralization associated with inactive phases of MS (Warren, K. G. and Catz, I., J Neurol Sci 88:185–194, 1988). In contrast, chronic-progressive MS characterized by persistence of increased anti-MBP over long periods of time was associated with inhibition of anti-MBP neutralization (Warren, K. G. and Catz, I., J Neurol Sci 88:185–194, 1988). Recently a myelin basic protein antibody cascade, identified in the IgG fraction purified from CSF of MS patients, contained anti-MBP, antibodies which neutralize anti-MBP and antibodies which inhibit anti-MBP neutralization (Warren, K. G. and Catz, I., J Neurol Sci 96:19–27, 1990).
Our previous research has demonstrated from the B-cell autoimmune point of view that there are at least two distinct forms of MS with the majority of patients having autoantibodies to myelin basic protein (anti-MBP) and a lesser number having antibodies to proteolipid protein (anti-PLP) (Warren, K. G. et al., Ann. Neurol. 35, 280–289, 1994). In anti-MBP associated MS, acute relapses are associated with elevated (greater than 1) Free (F)/Bound (B) anti-MBP ratios whereas the chronic progressive phase is characterized by F/B anti-MBP ratios of equal or less than 1, and patients in remission sometimes have mildly elevated B anti-MBP titers (Warren, K. G. and Catz, I., J. Neurol. Sci. 88, 185–194, 1989).
It has been demonstrated that some of the proliferating T-cells in MS patients are directed towards MBP (Allegretta et al., Science, 247, 718–721, 1990) and that human T-cells can recognize multiple epitopes on the molecule (Richert et al., J. Neuroimmun 23, 55–66, 1989). MBP also appears to be capable of activating some T-cells without the involvement of antigen presenting cells (Altman et al., Eur. J. Immun. 17, 1635–1640, 1987). It is likely that small peptides of MBP may be recognized by T-cells without the requirement for intracellular processing, simply by their ability to bind class II major histocompatibility antigens on the surface of presenting cells.
Since experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), an accepted animal model of MS, can be induced by inoculating susceptible rodents with either MBP or PLP in conjunction with Freund's complete adjuvant, the process of MS demyelination may have an autoimmune mechanism (Fritz, R. B. et al., J. Immunol. 130, 1024–1026, 1983; Trotter, J. L. et al., J. Neurol. Sci. 79, 173–188, 1987). From B-cell autoantibody point of view, the MBP epitope targeted by the disease process has been localized proximal to the tri-Prolil sequence (residues -99–100–101-) to an area between residues 80 and 100 (Warren, K. G. et al., Ann. Neurol. 35, 280–289, 1994). This B-cell epitope overlaps the immunodominant epitope for T cells reactive to MBP, which are found in MS brain lesions (Oksenberg, J. R. et al., Nature, 362, 68–70, 1993).
Previous studies have shown that anti-MBP is neutralized by MBP. However, previous attempts to treat MS by intramuscular or subcutaneous administration of heterologous MBP have not been successful (Campbell, B., Vogel, R. J., Fisher, E. and Lorenz, R., Arch Neurol 29:10–15, 1973; Gonsette, R. E., Delmotte, P. and Demonty, L., J Neurol 216:27–31, 1977; and Romine, J. S. and Salk, J., In: Hallpike, J. F., Adams, C. W. M. and Tourtelotte, W. W., eds. Multiple sclerosis. Baltimore, Williams & Wilkins, 1982:621–630). The problem with using native MBP is two-fold. Firstly, the protein is prepared from human brain samples and accordingly there is a potential danger that latent neuroviruses may be present in the sample. Secondly, although soluble MBP is not usually an immunogen, it is possible that when administered to individuals with an altered immune system, soluble MBP could act as an antigen and cause the production of antibodies against MBP.
Accordingly, the present invention determines whether anti-MBP purified from CSF of MS patients can be neutralized by selected soluble peptides of human MBP (h-MBP). For this purpose, soluble synthetic peptides covering the entire length of h-MBP were used to determine the possible epitope range on h-MBP which neutralizes anti-MBP obtained from these patients. Therefore selected soluble peptides, which demonstrate neutralization of anti-MBP, can be used to treat MS more effectively than the whole molecule. These soluble peptides are synthetically produced and as such no potential threat of neuroviruses would exist. Additionally, due to their small size, these peptides could not act as an immunogen. Therefore, the use of selected peptides as a treatment for MS, would overcome the problems identified with using the native protein.
Further the peptides of the present invention were investigated to determine their effectiveness in binding or modulating the production of MS anti-MBP in vivo.